Residents say lack of trust at heart of opposition to Allendale land rezoning

ALLENDALE, MI -- Allendale Township resident Jeff Seaver said he doesn't trust township planning or elected officials to properly enforce requirements on a developer who might want to build multi-family housing on property just west of 48th Avenue and north of Lake Michigan Drive.

He was among a crowd of opponents who protested rezoning the 14-acre site owned by Stu Becker, many of whom cited the lack of sidewalks on 48th Avenue and the traffic and pedestrian congestion in the the area as their reasons.

Despite the objections, the Township Board voted Monday to approve the rezoning, freeing Becker to attempt to sell the land.

Becker has no potential buyer for the property, according to Heather Garretson, representative for Becker. She noted that the R-4 zoning approved for the site would allow many uses other than multi-family housing, including nursing homes and funeral homes. “The R-4 zoning allows for a mixed-used in a manner that is consistent with the master plan,” she said after the meeting.

The land has been the focus of controversy for more than two years. In February, Allendale residents voted to overturn the township's decision to allow out-of-state developer Campus Crest to build a student housing community on the property. Zoning on the land then reverted to planned industrial, which includes the possibility of some commercial use. Becker asked for the new zoning to multi-family, which was recommended by the Planning Commission. The Township Board then upheld the recommendation on Monday, with only Trustee David Morren dissenting.

Supervisor Jerry Alkema said owners have the right to request rezoning, and the Planning Commission determined the new use was in keeping with the master plan. Alkema also said a developer cannot be held responsible for problems on land he or she does not own, such as the public right-of-way. Alkema also said a supposed excess of student housing was not a reason to refuse the rezoning.

"I don't know too many markets that are government protected," Alkema said.

Glenn Turek, owner of The Meadows student housing community, said he was required to make improvements at the intersection of 48th Avenue. He said that no more student housing is needed at this time, but "We have infrastructure that needs to be improved. Address this in a year, or two or three when the infrastructure is there."

Resident Kathy Seaver said the request is coming too soon. The township, she said, should first take care of street and sidewalk issues and complete the current master plan update before determining rezoning.